Wednesday, December 21, 2005

I'm sorry...dum dum- dum dum...is aaalll that i can say

Words don't come easily... forgive me.

Okay okay, I'm sorry about the disservice i've been doing as far as not writing. A lot going on in the brain and just haven't had the energy to PC-it out.
Quick updates are:
The weekend after the last story i went out to San Fran again to be with the fam. As usual that was a wonderful affair, and that Friday night i went out with Dorphi again for drinks at a local bar. These things are like half party/ half bar in the fact that sooo many people turn out. In NYC cops would shut this down, even though nothing violent popped off.
The night after i was invited to a roof party across the street, which had a beautiful nightime view of the mountains, which encompass the down in all directions for miles. It was small, but everybody danced, unlike good ole New York, where everyone is too cool to dance until there are enough people that you can't get stared at. So much happens in NYC that everyone feels like a spotlight is on them. Even i, who actually hits the floor on NYC more than the avg, finally removed my "cool" and grooved on a bit. Afterwords, aaround 3 in the morning i returned with Hiro, who i would say is the quiter of the 2 brothers. In fact so quite, that i used to be uncomfortable sitting in silence next to him. Last time in March, we stayed in the same room and exchanged snores at best. But this time something different occured...
He told me he was awaiting word that he could enter the US next year on visa and possibly be staying near my brother in Queens. He asked about my brother because he, like my bro, has a love for fast cars and even faster engines. He asked about the steert races in the city and such, but er, you know i dont know nuthin 'bout that....
We ended up talking for like 3 hours, almost until the sun came up, about everything US and Dominican, and how we both sit up at night dreaming of our dreams. Me to finally leave the US for a new life and to be bi-lingual after 20 years, he, to start a new life in the US and move his own spouse and child there soonafter. His ambition is so high i just know he will make it. I felt good to be able to give him the ins and outs of NYC, beforehand, and the reasons most New Yorkers save up, then take off for down south or just about anywhere else (cheaper costs of living, $400k houses for $150k, more space, etc.), and he helped me a lot with my language. As the convo was coming to a close, i remarked on how terrible i was in my pursuit, and he said something that reinvigorated my whole mission.

He asked how many words i think i knew in spanish. I figured roughly 600 to 900 give or take. He actually laughed and said you are crazy, its well over a thousand or more. "Hell no!"I said - but then he broke it down to me. He said to me, "last time in March, when we stayed in the same room, we couldn't so much even breathe the same lingo, and how my dictionary was glued to my hip". And about how every 3 to 5 words i had to look up something. He pointed out that him and i conversed for nearly 3 hours comfortably, and that i never once looked up anything, just maybe asked him to explain in other words to gain the meaning for another. The message hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to admit it - that even though i didnt feel it, i'd been slowly amassing more things than i thought i knew. I knew then that i could never quit now, for i'm way too close.
That made me think of all the poeple who laughed at me when i said i'd start now, so late in life, and how all that stuff about your age effects this and that.

My point is this i guess, before i digress. So many people email me and say i wish this and that and i want to learn whatever. Simply try. If you you fail, you'll still be better than if you would have never tried at all.
I think we as adults want to just "know" right away, but if you etch away even just 2 new words or things in a day, for one year, thats 730 new items stuck right there in your brain for whenever & whatever you need them for.

Ok nuff preaching, i'm too young for that.

To be continued with the fun stuff tomorrow...... until then

Peace!


and Merry Xmas!

3 Comments:

At 7:01 PM, Blogger Xinefoto said...

I'm glad you finally wrote. I check every day to see if I'll find a new entry; today I checked twice and was happy to find this. Sorry for not writing; it doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you. I think about you quite often. I'm so happy to hear that it's going well for you there. And I feel inspired by this entry. I also feel like I'm not learning fast enough and that this place is too touristy and my verb tenses suck, etc. But I just had a good conversation with my landlord and suspended my DSL service by phone and did it all in Spanish so I guess I'm not doing too badly. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano.

 
At 9:51 AM, Blogger Shaun aka TRIFLEmc said...

Xine,

I'd been thinking about you too a lot and wondering how's Mexico. It's good to know that someone i know is doing the exact same thing, albeit in a different place. Some of the ones i need to understand my mission have recently expressed that they don't, and i feel bad when people try to tell me I am simply a man, so i must be here to sew my wild oats. Sounds like the same thing they told the Prince of Zemunda. Keep good and i will email my contacts to you soon.

 
At 9:53 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

THis is sooo true. 8 Months ago, I was a mess and had to keep my dictionary with me and constantly look things up. I still need to look things up but I do it much less than I used to...what if I had this opportunity...boy I'd be so excited!

In another post, I really understood what you were saying about when you have those epiphanys when it seems like certain words just come together in your mind and you suddenly "get it". That has happened to me on some of my trips as well. This is a great experience and I'm really enjoying reading about it!

 

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